But his decision to nominate the movement, which has long been criticised as antisemitic, was attacked by Israeli activists.
“It makes a complete mockery of human rights and pursuit of peace, which this Prize was created to reward,” Israeli-Jewish Congress director Arsen Ostrovsky told the Jerusalem Post.
“But then again, the Nobel Committee does have a track record of rewarding Palestinian violence, such as when Arafat was given the Prize.”
Yasser Arafat, the late Palestinian Authority leader, shared the 1994 prize with two Israeli politicians, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, after they agreed the Oslo Accords.
Hundreds of people and bodies are nominated every year for the award and trimmed to a shortlist of approximately 20 candidates. The eventual winner is selected by members of the Nobel Committee, with all other nominees and nominators kept secret for 50 years.
